Artist Information Manufacturers & Merch Enterprise Information Gigs & Festivals Stay Enterprise High Tales
By Andy Malt | Revealed on Thursday 24 November 2022
Yard Act have introduced that they are going to be operating a pop-up store promoting merch forward of their present on the Leeds Academy tonight based mostly in a pub close to the venue. They are saying they’re aiming to spotlight the lower of merch revenues some venues take when bands promote t-shirts and such inside their partitions.
The band may even be promoting merch on the present as regular, however all the pieces provided on the pop-up will likely be on sale for 25% lower than that offered on the gig, calling consideration to the portion of gross sales that the venue insists on taking.
“We determined to provide individuals who will battle to get to the pop-up the prospect to purchase some merch, so there will likely be a variety on the Academy, however wished to spotlight the problem that sure venues are taking huge cuts of earnings that’s fairly essential to preserve artists on the highway”, the band tweeted.
Their low cost merch stand will likely be arrange at The Social bar on Merrion Avenue in Leeds from 5pm tonight and the band will likely be there from 6-7pm “having a pint if you wish to say hello or get owt signed”. There may even be unique gadgets out there at The Social which is not going to be on sale on the Academy. And the store will likely be open after the present too.
The band additionally famous that they aren’t doing this on the different O2 sponsored venues they’re enjoying on their present tour as a result of they don’t take a lower of gross sales, explaining: “Value highlighting the merch lower will not be an O2 coverage, as most assume. The Ritz in Manchester is an O2 and doesn’t take a lower to promote there. It’s a venue alternative”.
The problem of venues taking a lower of merch gross sales has been hotly debated post-pandemic, as artists try and make up for the losses incurred whereas they have been unable to carry out through the numerous lockdowns. Former Pleasure Division and New Order bassist Peter Hook and The Charlatans’ Tim Burgess have been notably vocal about it.
“This isn’t about The Charlatans, it’s about these bands who want merch earnings to outlive”, Burgess mentioned final 12 months. “Some locations take 25% – 1 / 4 of the complete promoting worth. Vinyl doesn’t even have that mark as much as start with”.
Hook additionally instructed followers: “Charging the band 25% fee on the gross of something offered makes having merchandise for many bands a complete self-importance venture. Creating the art work alone can price £500 to £700, then the printing and transport of most two color t-shirts usually prices between £6-£8 plus VAT. One other factor that these venues refuse to do is to take the VAT off the gross earlier than they take a fee, which is definitely unlawful as a result of the VAT belongs to the federal government”.
In January this 12 months, the Featured Artists Marketing campaign launched its ‘100% Venues’ marketing campaign, highlighting UK venues that don’t take any lower of merch gross sales, encouraging mentioned venues to substantiate their no-commission insurance policies by including themselves to a particular on-line listing. And earlier this week the FAC teamed up with the US-based Union Of Musicians And Allied Staff and rapper Cadence Weapon to launch an identical marketing campaign in North America.
